Knitting apparatus and method



Nov. 24, 1936. R. H; COLEMAN KNITTINQ APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed Dec. 14, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l P08527 HCoLEM/w Nov. 24; 1936. Rl COLEMAN 2,062,208

KNITTING APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed Dc. 14, 1934 2 sneetssheet 2 poseer HCOLEMHN gmc/vwo@ GMM/wma ribbed top portion under tension.

Patented Nov. 24, 1936 PATENT oFFlcE 4 2,062,208 yKN'ITTING APPARATUS AND METHOD `Robert H. Coleman, Thomasville, N. C., assignor of one-fourth to Ragan Knitting Company, Thomasville, N. C., and one-fourth to Maurice Mills Company, Inc., Thomasville, N. C.

-. Application December 14, 1934, serial No. 757,521

11 claims.

. This invention relates to a knitting machine and more vespecially to means for laying in a strand in automaticv knitting machines employing cylinder and dial needles.

`In' automatic seamless knitting machines em-4 ploying both dial and cylinder needles, it is a well'known fact that these machines are capable of knitting a Welt at the top of the stocking together with a ribbed portion and a leg portion Vtogether with heel, Ytoe and foot portions, in other words, knitting a complete stocking with v the exception of looping the toe after the stocking is completed on the knitting machine. Other types of dial knitting machines such as ribbed inverse machines and split foot machines, knit the complete stocking except the welt.

It has been desirable to use elastic yarn in the ribbed top portion of the stocking to make a stocking which will be self-supporting and which will remain in elevated position on the leg of the wearer without'the necessity of employing supporters of any kind.

It has been possible to knit elastic yarn in the ribbed top portion but this takes a great quantity of yarn and also greatly decreases the elasticity of the yarn on account ofknitting it into the It has long been desired to knit the top ribbed portion and to lay the elastic yarn thereinto, but it is a well known fact that this elastic yarn cannot be fed into the needles at the conventional point of feeding because it would result vin knitting the yarn into the stocking by use of .the dial and cylinder needles. I

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide means whereby the elastic yarn can vbe laid into the ribbed top portion of the stocking so that the dial needles and the cylinder needles will knit the conventional top `yarn around thev elastic yarn without engaging the elastic yarn and knitting it in any manner.

Some `of the objects of the invention having Y been stated, other objectswill appear as the deest scription proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in Whichz-l Figure 1 is an elevation of a portion of a knit-y ting machine showing the cylinder and means for feeding the elastic yarn to a portion of the knitting machine so that it will not be knitted by the cylinder or dial needles; v v n Figure 2 -is a vertical sectional View taken along line 2 2 in Figure l; l

Figure 3 is a view showing the main.v and pat--r tern drums vof the machine for operating the (01. ca -9) v means for feeding the elastic yarn to the knitting machine;

Figure 4 is an enlarged elevation of the lower end of the feeding nger for the elastic yarn shown in cooperation with some of the cylinder needles;` v

Figure 5 is a view looking at the left-hand side of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the dial cap and latch ring, showing the yarn feed finger for the elastic yarnin section;

Figure '7 is an elevationof the top of a stocking made in accordance with my invention;

Figure 8 is an elevation showing the manner in which the elastic yarn is laid into the knittingl and showing the loops in the knitting in a greatly separatedand distended position;

vFigure 9 isa bottom plan view of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is an elevational detail showing dial and cylinder needles engaging the top yarn and showing the elastic yarn being laid in;

Figure 11 is a diagrammatic view looking down on Figure 10and showing additional loops.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral' I0 indicates a bracket for supporting the dial needle mechanism of the machine which also supports a suitable cross-bar Il supporting other portions of the knitting machinery. a On this cross-bar there is secured a member I2 which f heretofore has been provided to form guideways feeding nger is adapted to have vertical sliding movement. The wrap yarn finger is dispensed with and in lieu thereof a special finger I4 is provided for feeding the elastic yarn to the knitting machine so that it will not be knitted by either of the dial or cylinder needles. 'I'he member I2 not only supports the verticallysliding member I4 but also supports a tension spring I5 which normally pulls the yarn feed nger Il downwardly The yarn feed finger Il has a laterally projecting pin I6 under which one arm of the bell crank lever I1 is adapted to project, said bell crank lever I1 `being pivotally mounted as at IB, and having its other end connected to a link I9 which, in turn, is slidably; connected t0 a lever 2U. The vlever 20 (Fig. 39 'is seen to be Qxedly secured to a stub arm 2l on a hub 22 .Y tn'iounted on a shaft 23 and xedly secured to hub f 221sy an arm 2l whichis 'adapted to follow a @im 25 on the auxiliary pattern drum 26 of the 55 operated in a conventional me nner.

cured to arm 2| and is adapted to contact the main pattern drum 21 of the knitting machine and to be moved by a cam 28 thereon.

'I'he elastic yarn 3U is fed through a yarn guide 3| and downwardly just inside the latch ring 32. The yarn feed finger I4 likewise projects downwardly just inside the latch ring 3'2 and just outside the cylinder needles. 'Ihedial cap 33 has a dial 34a rotatably mounted therein which has a plurality of dial needles 34 and 35 mounted therein'which are controlled by suitable cams not shown. The numeral 34 indicates the hook needles while 35 indicates the cast-off needles. The cylinder 36 of the machine has mounted therein a plurality of cylinder needles 31 which are of the conventional type and each has a pivoted latch 38 thereon,

The yarn feed finger t4 projects downwardly immediately outside the cylinder needles and on account of the close space in which it has to work it must be provided with some means to prevent breakage of the cylinder needles. Accordingly, the lower end of the yarn feed'nger has a V-shaped cam having surfaces 40 and 4I' terminating in a point 42. This point 42 is slightly above the pivot points of the latches for the cylinder needles, so that it is seen that the cam surfaces 40 and 4| will serve to either open or close the latches of the cylinder needles as they pass thereby and, therefore, prevent breakage o the same. This is very important. The flower end of the yarn feed finger i4 projects in the direction of travel of the dial and cylinder of the machine and projects downwardly and inwardly at the same time and has an eye 44 therein through which the elastic yarn 30 is passed so as to deliver the yarn to the needles at a point where no` knitting will occur and at a point below the dial needles and below the' latches of the cylinder needles so that it will not be engaged thereby and at a point where the cylinder needles will likewise not engage it soy tional movable yarn clampy 45 thereon which isA operated in a conventional manner. It also has conventional shears 41 thereon which are also The clamp 46 and the shears 41 are operated by suitable instrumentalities, not shown, conti led by* the auxiliary pattern drum when the elastic yarn is withdrawn from laying in position.

The dial cap has its upper surface beveled on the side next tothe throat plate 48 and the yarn fingers 49. yIn 'order to introduce the elastic yarnl at a thin place in=the dial cap whereit will traverse the cylinder needles, I mount a pin 50 in the dialI cap to prevent the elastic yarn from passing` over the lhigh edge of the vdial cap and being held where it will not be engaged by the cylinder needles when it is introduced to laying in position.

In Figure 1 the elastic yarnis shown after it has been introduced and has passed completely around the cylinder yand has. passed inside the 2,062 vknitting machine. Lever a is also xedly seof the cylinder needles.

cylinder needles at the throat plate and is being laid in. -1

Although Figure 2 is taken along line 2-2 in Figure 1, the elastic yarn 3U is shown in a different position, being in the position it occupies when first lowered to a position where it will be caught by one of the cylinder needles, as it is seen that in introducing the 'elastic yarn, it is passed between two cylinder needles and being held bythe spring clamp 41 a cylinder needlel will carry the elastic yarn around to knitting position where the end of the elastic yarn is pulled from beneath the spring clamp. Although the elastic yarn may be caught and knitted by one or two needles, the subsequent cylinder needles will not knit in the elastic yarn for the reason that it fed at a point below the pivot point of the latches and on top of the sinkers which will move it outwardly out of the path of the descending hooks It will be observed in Figure 3 that the pattern drum 21- serves to lower the yarn feed finger when the lever 2U falls into the cavity in the cam surface, but it is also evident that this main drum cannot be used for throwing the elastic yarn out of position where it will be laid into the fabric because it would interfere with the knittingof the top which will usually stop many courses after the elastic yarn has ceased to be laid in, and therefore, means are provided whereby the auxiliary pattern drum can be employed for throwing the elastic yarn out of operation .after a predetermined number of courses of elastic yarn have been laid into the ribbed top.

Let us assume that the cavity appearing in the cam surface 28 of Figure 3, represents the length of the top of the stocking. Therefore, the auxiliary pattern drum 2B will throw the elastic yarn out of operation long before the main drum 21 has moved far enough for cam 28 to engage the lever 20a and therefore the auxiliary pattern drum will throw it out of operation and not interfere with the top of the stocking.

In Figure 7 a finished top is shown as made on one type of machine in which usually a small welt W will be knitted and then the yarn feed finger I4 will be automatically lowered and the portion E will have the elastic yarn laid thereinto, which will be withdrawn long before the top ribbed portion has been completed and the remainder of thetop will be knitted of ordinary ribbed fabric by the dial and cylinder needles but without laying the elastic yarn therein, although it is evident that the entire ribbed portion could have a yarn either elastic or. otherwise, laid therein, if desired.

It is also well understood in the art, that in knitting ribbed fabric that ,alternate cylinder needles are used with all of the dial needles, as there are twice as many cylinder needles as dial needles and by using half of the cylinder needles tween the cylinder needles thus resulting in al- Y ternate vloops being engaged by the hook dial needles `and the other loops are engaged by the cylinderv needles.

The elastic yarn is threaded throughthe yarn feed nger'M and placed under the conventional clamp and in front of pin 5U and when the elastic yarn finger is lowered one of thekcylinder needles engages the elastic yarn because from pin 50 to eye 44 it goes in front of one of the cylinder needles. The needle and possibly another, receives'the same in their hooks to be -knitted 70 .immediately before these needles reach the point along with the top yarn at the knitting point and then the yarn is carried around on the outside of the cylinder needles and when it reaches the throat plate, where the conventional knitting operation takes place, the conventional knitting occurs which consists of a course of the top yarn being engaged by alternate cylinder needles as only one-half of the cylinder needles are in operation during this operation and the hooked dial needles move out between the cylinder needles and engage the top yarn and pull the alternate loops back against the dial and then the alternate cylinder needles form their loops. At this point, the cylinder needles being lowered, allow the elastic yarn to pass in and-rest on the loops held by the hooked dial needles. On the next revolution, the elastic yarn being laid on all of the loops held by the hook dial needles for a complete revolution, the second and subsequent knitting operations take place on the second and subsequent revolutions of the knitting machine which repeatsthe above described operation, thatl is, the cylinder needles engage the top yarn and at the same time the hook dial needles and the cast-off dial needles move out and the hook dial needles engage the strand of yarn being knitted and the cast-off needles cast off the loops held by the cast-off dial needles onto the loop being formed at thatV time by the hooked dial needles.

It is thus seen that the elastic yarn is not knitted except at its ends but is laid in between the wales formed by the dial needles and the cylinder needles.

In'Figures 8 to 11 inclusive, there is shown the manner in which the elastic strand is laid in the knitting of the ribbed top. It is seen that the cylinder needles 31 engage the top yarn t and that the dial needles 34 and 35 engage the top yarn between the loops formed by the cylinder needles and Figure 10 shows the hook and castoff dial needles in position where they move their loop outwardly over the laid in elastic yarn to a point where the hook needle 34 will engage the next course of top yarn t and then the cast-off needle will cast olf the already formed loop onto the new loop being formed by the hook dial needle. This lays the elastic yarn in between the wales formed by the dial needles and the wales formed by the cylinder needles. The knit- -ting of the dial and cylinder needles is in the conventional manner, but a description of same has been made in order to show how the elastic yarn is laid in during this ribbing operation.

'Ihe cylinder needles form the loops c, while the dial needles form the loops-d.

In the drawings and specification, there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although speciiic terms are employed they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the appended claims.

When the ribbed .top of a stocking. is knitted on a Scott 8: Williams model HH knitting machine it is customary to use alternate cylinder needles and all of the dial needles. It will be noted by referring to Figure 1 that the conventional dividing cam 31h engages the butts 31a of the low .needles .31 and forces these needles downwardly of introduction of the elastic yarn so, whereas.

When the foot portion is lowered to operative position, which is shown in Figures l .the lower end thereof is located slightly above the .dial cap 33.

and 2, the eyelet is disposed below the latches 38 of the high needles and the strand 30 occupies the position relative to the needles, shown in Figure 2, when it is rst introduced. It is, therefore, seen that the strand 3U traverses the path of the needles at a point above the latches 38 and beneath the hooks when the yarn is first introduced. Since one end of the strand 30 is clamped the upper portion of the hig'h needles, which iirst engages the strand, will carry the strand 30 around to the knitting point, holding the strand below the hooks and above the latches of the-rst few successive needles. 'As a matter of fact, immediately before the rst needles which engage the strand, lower to knit, the end of the strand is held by the clamp, from which the strand leads directly below the hook and above the latch of said first needle, and then the strand passes spirally downwardly on the outside of the needles to the eyelet 44. This spiral inclination makes it possible for several of the hooks to engage the strand before the strand is low enough to be disposed beneath the latch. After the first few needles which engage the elastic yarn have been moved downwardly, to cause the same to knit, the strand 30 occupies a horizontal positionbelow the latches 38, as shown in Figure 1, instead of an upward inclined spiraled position, as is the case when the yarn is introduced and just prior to knitting the end thereof. This upward spiraled position is shown in dotted lines in Figure 1.

It is evident that when the elastic yarn is knitted by a few needles and the strand occupies ahorizontal position beneath the latches, that these needles cannot engage the elastic yarn when they move downwardly to knit, but instead the latches 38 will-'be closed and the strand will pass over the tops of the needles 31 the knitting point and be laid on top of the loops formed by the dial and alternate cylinder needles.

Therefore, itis seen that if the iirst raised needle engaging the elastic yarn should have its latch closed the next succeeding raised needle or 4needles having an open latch will engage and knit of the high needles the strand will again be caused to traverse the path of the needles at a point above the latches and below the hooks to cause two or three needles to knit the elastic strand as it is withdrawn.

The latches in the needles will be entirely open if the machine is operating properly by having top yarn fed thereto, and the conventional latch opener in the machine is functioning properly, andthe needles are being lowered properly by the needle leveling mechanism. Now if the top yarn breaks, or the needles arel not leveled or lowered properly due to some imperfection of the ma. chine, resulting in the latches not being entirely open but occupying a position below a horizontal plane passing through the pivot point of the latch, then the lower cam surface 4| will complete the opening of the latches. If the latches should be projecting upwardly but not entirely closed, then of course, it is evident that they could not take the elastic yarn and the upper cam surface Ill would completely close .these latches resulting in an imperfect knitting, but it would prevent the needles and latches of the machine from being broken.

I claim:

1. In a knitting machine having a main drum and an auxiliary pattern drum and revolving dial and cylinder needles, means for clamping the end of a yarn on the dial, means for feeding the yarn to the exterior of the cylinder needles and below the latches of the cylinder needles at a point in advance of the throat plate of the machine whereby the yarn will not be engaged by the hooks of more than one or two of the cylinder needles, but will be laid in between the loops formed by the respective cylinder and dial needles, means controlled by the main drum of the knitting machine for throwing the yarn into position to be laid into the knitting of the fabric,

and 4means controlled by the auxiliary pattern.

drum for withdrawing the yarn from laying-in position.

2. In a knitting machine having revolving dial and cylinder needles, a yarn feed nger for feeding an elastic strand to the exterior of the cylinder needles before they reach knitting position and at a point disposed below the pivot point of the latches of the cylinder needles and below a horizontal plane passing through the lower edge of the dial needles, so the elastic strand will ride over the tops of the cylinder needles when they are lowered in a knitting operation and rest on the loops held on the dial needles, said yarn feed finger having a pointed edge adapted tobe engaged by the latches of the cylinder needles to open or close said latches and to prevent breakage thereof.

3. In an automatic knitting machine ha rotating cylinder and dial needles, means for laying in an elastic strand-during the knitting of a ribbed top portion comprising a yarn feed finger for feeding the elastic strand to the exterior of the cylinder needles at a point below the pivot point of the latches on the cylinder needles and at a point in advance of the cylinder needles reaching knitting position at the throat plate,

means for opening or closing the latches of the cylinder needles immediately before they reach the point where the elastic strand is fed, the elastic strand being laid on top of the loops held by the dial needles when the cylinder needles are lowered for knitting of the top yarn and the elastic strand being carried around on top of the loops being held by the dial needles during the succeeding revolution of the dial and cylinder needles to cause the loops of the dial needles to be knitted above the elastic strand without knitting the elastic strand.

4. In a knitting machine having cylinder and dial needles, means for laying in a strand of yarn between the loops formed by the cylinder and dial needles which comprises means for feeding the strand of yarn to the exterior of the cylinder needles and below the' latches thereof at a point before they reach kniting position, means for opening or 'closing the latches of the cylinder needles immediately before they reach the point where the elastic strand is fed whereby the strand passes over the top of the cylinder needles when they are actuated in a knitting operation to rest on the loops formed by the hooked dial needles and the cylinder needles and upon the subsequent knitting operation to have the loops on the dial needles passed over the strand while the dial needles engage the knitting yarn and form new loops through the loops cast o by the dial needles to thereby lay in the strand.

5. That method of knitting on an automatic knitting machine having revolving cylinder and dial needles, which comprises opening or closing the latches of the cylinder needles, band while the latches are opened or closed, laying an elastic strand on the outside of the cylinder needles below the latches thereof before they are lowered into knitting position whereby the elastic strand will pass over and to the inside of the cylinder needles and rest on the loops held by the dial needles to be laid in .between the loops formed by the cylinder and dial needles of the machine.

6. That method of laying in an elastic strand on a knitting machine having revolving dial and cylinder needles which comprises knitting with alternate cylinder needles and all of the dial needles, opening or closing the latches of the cylinder needles, and While the latches are opened or closed,.`feeding an elastic strand to the exterior of the cylinder needles and below the latches thereof and before they reach knitting position whereby the elastic strand will pass over the cylinder needles and 'will rest on the loops being held by the dial needles and will be laid in between loops formed by the alternate cylinder needles and all of the dial needles when they again reach their knitting position. 7. In a knitting machine having a given number of cylinder needles and one-half as many dial needles as cylinder needles, and in which ribbed knitting is effected by use of alternate cylinder needles and all of the dial needles. means for opening or closing the latches of the cylinder needles and holding said latches in open or closed position, means for feeding a strand of yarn to the exterior edge of the cylinder needles and below the latches thereof and at a point before they are advanced to knitting position and while the latches of the cylinder needles are held in open or closed position so that the strand will pass over the tops of the cylinder needles onto the loops on the dial needles when the cylinder needles are lowered in their knitting operation, and whereby the strand will be laid in between the wales formed by the alternate cylinder needles and the dial needles.

8. A knitting machine having a revolving dial equipped with cast-off and hook needles and also having a revolving cylinder equipped with cylinder needles. means for clamping an end of an elastic strand on the dial and means for feeding an elastic strand to a point below the latches of the cylinder needles and on the exterior of the cylinder needles means for opening the latches of the cylinder needles and holding said latches in opened position until the elastic strand is laid against the exterior of the cylinder needles, whereby the elastic strand is passed between two of the cylinder needles while they are in raised position and so that the elastic strand will be knitted into the fabric for a loop or two when the cylinder needles are lowered in a knitting operation and the remainder of the elastic strand will pass over the tops of the cylinder needles and be laid onto the -loops held by the cylinder needles and the hook needles.

9. A knitting machine having a revolving dial for lowering to a point on the exterior `of the needles below the latches of the cylinder needles while their latches are held in open or closed position whereby the elastic strand is latches of the cylinder needles, clamping an elasf tic strand on the dial and lowering' the elastic.

strand at a point in advance of the knitting position of the cylinder needles to where it engages the exterior f the cylinder needlesA at a point below the latches of the cylinder needles while they`are held in openedor closed position whereby the elastic`strand is knitted by one or two of Vthe cylinder needles when it is introduced to and withdrawn from the cylinder needles and whereby the elastic strand rides over the upper ends oi the cylinder needles when they are loweredin on the loops held by the cylinder and dial needles.

ROBERT n. coLmaAN.

CERTIFIOATE OF CORRECTION passed between two of the cylinder needles while a knitting operation and is laid onto the loops 10 they are in raisedposition and so that the elastic held by the hook needles'. Y strand will be knitted into the fabric for a loop 11. In a knitting machine having revolving or two when the cylinder needles are lowered in cylinder and revolving dial needles, cam means a. knitting operation and the remainder of the for opening or closing the latches of the cylinder elastic strandwill pass over the tops of the cylinneedles and holding them in such position for 15 der needles and be laid onto the loops held by a portion of a revolution of said machine. means the cylinder needles and hook needles, and the for clamping an elastic strand on the inside of elastic strand will be knitted into the fabric by the circle dened by the dial needles, means for the cylinder needles for a loop or two when it is feeding the elastic strand to the exterior of the.

withdrawn from lowered position. y cylinder 'needles in advance of the knitting point 20' 10. That method of knitting with a knittingand below the latches of the cylinder needles machine having a revolving dial equipped with whereby the elastic strand is knitted by one or cast-oil and hook needles and also having cylinmore cylinder needles when they reach knitting der needles revolving in timed relation with'the position and will then pass over theother cylindial which comprises opening or closing the der needles without being knitted and will rest 25 Patent N0. 2,062,208. Novembr 24, 1936.

-ROBERT H COLEMAN It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 5,* first column, line 6, claim 9, after "lowering" insert the words the elastic strand; and that the said Letters P'atent should be read with this correction gigli-rein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent ice.

Signed'and sealed this 16th day of February, A. D. 193'?.

Henry Varil Arsdale SBI) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

for lowering to a point on the exterior `of the needles below the latches of the cylinder needles while their latches are held in open or closed position whereby the elastic strand is latches of the cylinder needles, clamping an elasf tic strand on the dial and lowering' the elastic.

strand at a point in advance of the knitting position of the cylinder needles to where it engages the exterior f the cylinder needlesA at a point below the latches of the cylinder needles while they`are held in openedor closed position whereby the elastic`strand is knitted by one or two of Vthe cylinder needles when it is introduced to and withdrawn from the cylinder needles and whereby the elastic strand rides over the upper ends oi the cylinder needles when they are loweredin on the loops held by the cylinder and dial needles.

ROBERT n. coLmaAN.

CERTIFIOATE OF CORRECTION passed between two of the cylinder needles while a knitting operation and is laid onto the loops 10 they are in raisedposition and so that the elastic held by the hook needles'. Y strand will be knitted into the fabric for a loop 11. In a knitting machine having revolving or two when the cylinder needles are lowered in cylinder and revolving dial needles, cam means a. knitting operation and the remainder of the for opening or closing the latches of the cylinder elastic strandwill pass over the tops of the cylinneedles and holding them in such position for 15 der needles and be laid onto the loops held by a portion of a revolution of said machine. means the cylinder needles and hook needles, and the for clamping an elastic strand on the inside of elastic strand will be knitted into the fabric by the circle dened by the dial needles, means for the cylinder needles for a loop or two when it is feeding the elastic strand to the exterior of the.

withdrawn from lowered position. y cylinder 'needles in advance of the knitting point 20' 10. That method of knitting with a knittingand below the latches of the cylinder needles machine having a revolving dial equipped with whereby the elastic strand is knitted by one or cast-oil and hook needles and also having cylinmore cylinder needles when they reach knitting der needles revolving in timed relation with'the position and will then pass over theother cylindial which comprises opening or closing the der needles without being knitted and will rest 25 Patent N0. 2,062,208. Novembr 24, 1936.

-ROBERT H COLEMAN It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 5,* first column, line 6, claim 9, after "lowering" insert the words the elastic strand; and that the said Letters P'atent should be read with this correction gigli-rein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent ice.

Signed'and sealed this 16th day of February, A. D. 193'?.

Henry Varil Arsdale SBI) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

